How She Did It: Soraya Darabi and Maxine Bédat on Launching Zady, the Whole Foods of Fashion

Soraya Darabi & Maxine Bédat are the Founders of Zady, also known as "The Whole Foods of Fashion." By focusing on honesty and quality in manufacturing, Zady provides unparalleled access to stylish, yet sustainably produced products made from high-quality raw materials. For each product, Zady tells the story of how it was made, down to how the raw materials were acquired, aiming to facilitate a closer connection between people and our belongings.

Featured on the cover of Fast Company Magazine's “Most Creative People in Business" issue, Darabi was previously Manager of Digital Partnerships and Social Media at The New York Times, and thereafter served as Product Lead for drop.io, an online collaboration service acquired by Facebook. She was a Co-Founder of Foodspotting, named by
Apple and Wired Magazine as “App of the Year” and acquired by Open Table. Meanwhile, with a background in international diplomacy and the United Nations, former lawyer Bédat was the Founder of The Bootstrap Project, an organization dedicated to changing the lives of artisans in developing countries. She subsequently spent time with craftsmen in Zambi, Tajikistan, and Nepal, providing her with the initial inspiration for Zady.

I recently sat down with Darabi and Bédat to learn more about their entrepreneurial journeys and discuss the opportunities they have found in building a mission-oriented fashion brand, despite the challenges presented by "fast fashion."

Pham: What inspired you all to leave your prior careers to launch a platform that provides customers with detailed background about the products? Furthermore, what inspired your decision to blend commerce with storytelling?

Bédat & Darabi: We left our prior lives to build a brand with a strong back bone, a brand that stands for transparency, authenticity and meaning. We wanted to leverage our backgrounds to create a platform that inspired as much as it informed and entertained. Blending commerce and content was amongst the earliest conversations we had as business partners. We wanted a site that allowed people to really get to know the origins of the things they purchased, down to granular details such as where the raw materials came from, to help consumers make informed - and ultimately better - choices.

Bédat & Darabi: Once we decided this was a business we wanted to build for the long term, together, we spoke to the experts of the industry to glean as much information from them as possible. We spoke to media mavens, technology and innovation enthusiasts, best in class design thought leaders and e-commerce wizards. From there, we wire-framed the platform that would become Zady and recruited team members to help us make the vision a reality. The number one plan of action was to 'do.' Every day we moved the business forward one step by meeting with a future brand partner, a future editorial contributor, a future team member. Every day counts at a startup and the most important lesson to remember is to keep swimming forward.

Pham: What were some of the initial challenges you encountered when first launching the platform and how were you able to overcome obstacles that occurred?

Bédat & Darabi: Our initial challenges upon launch are similar to the challenges we face today. We are building a campaign for total awareness as much as we are selling looks by fabulous designers from around the world. For our brand to succeed, our country must be convinced that this era of fast production, fast fashion, is harmful to the environment, to our economy, and to the workers who dedicate their lives to making the products we wear. We want our community to admit that there is a better way. An alternative is to only buy from brands that are making their clothing earnestly - with partners whom they know and trust. We detail the process behind the first ZADY product on www.zady.com/newstandard and it's our great goal that other brands follow suit. With transparency we can have honesty in this industry. Our planet will thank us in the end.

Pham: What were some of the tactics you used to build relationships with brands and how did you discern which ones to sell on Zady?

Bédat & Darabi: In the earliest days we worked alongside a wonderful advisor, Stephanie Seeley, who came from a retail and brand background. As an executive at one of the world's largest trade shows she interfaced with designers globally and knew exactly whom to point us to to source great designers who met our extremely fine-lined criteria. Once we met the founders of imogene + willie, of Small Trades and other like-minded brands we were introduced to many other fine brands who were aesthetically and mission aligned. A game of telephone ensued and today we source and sell over 70 brands from countries as far ranging as Nepal to as close by as Canada. Our relationships with our brand partners continue to grow and expand, but we never want to have thousands of brands on our website. We want Zady to be a curated platform of only the best of the best.

Pham: Do you have any advice for other young women who might want to follow in your footsteps in the area of entrepreneurship and fashion?

Bédat & Darabi: A lack of confidence will deteriorate many women from following their entrepreneurial dreams. Don't let it! Find a mentor, and work closely with him or her to decide what you would like to build and how. Create a game plan for yourself and stick to it. Attend classes to beef up on skills you feel are lacking, or are necessary before taking the plunge. Don't ask for permission, just start building. You'd be surprised at what ticking off one item from a to-do list daily can do for a business in the long term. Create a brand you can be a part of for the long haul, and ideally, make it one that is as impactful as it is a strong revenue driver. If the concept of the brand is near and dear to your heart, you'll be more likely to inspire others to join you on this journey.

Tiffany Pham is the Founder & CEO of MOGUL (www.onmogul.com), an award-winning platform that enables women to connect, exchange information, and gain access to knowledge.

Tiffany Pham is the Founder & CEO of MOGUL, an award-winning worldwide platform connecting women to trending content, including articles, videos, questions, photos, products, and courses that are personalized to their interests. MOGUL is visited by millions of women fro...